Summer may be waning, but it's still warm enough to kick off your shoes and run through the grass in your backyard or stroll barefoot along the beach.
But say you need to run a quick errand. Do you have to put your shoes back on to drive? Is it legal to drive barefoot?
Michigan law does not prohibit barefoot driving, according to the Michigan State Police. In fact, it doesn't appear to be illegal in any state in the nation.
Whether it's wise to do so is another question.
"I think police and safety experts may say wearing appropriate footwear is better for the pedal, your footwear can't slide off the pedal," said Mike Morse, an attorney whose Southfield firm specializes in personal injury lawsuits, and usually wears sneakers or loafers when he drives.
Now, he added, "If I only had flip flops that were slipping off my foot, I'd rather go barefoot."
But ...
"If you hit one of my clients ... if you said to me, 'I was driving barefoot, my foot slipped off the breake, the gas pedal, and I hit your client,' that's negligence. ... So it could hurt you in a civil case if you're not being careful."
Bottom line: Drive barefoot at your own risk.
Is it legal?
Welcome to a new recurring feature on freep.com that helps readers understand laws in Michigan and in their communities. Do you have a question about what's legal and what isn't in Michigan? Email [email protected] and we'll investigate for you.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Is it legal to drive barefoot in Michigan?
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